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Here are some home my kids have helped with this holiday season thus far. I thought of some great headlines for selling these properties:
A Fortress for your Princess
A Cottage that says “Welcome”
A truly “Green” Home for 2012
Fit for a King
Fun for the Whole Family!
And from left to right:
How Many people have a Triangle-Shaped Home? This could be Yours!
Free Sun Room Included
Looks Great in the Snow!
And then a collage of our nativity scenes from all around our house. Our newest edition is the Peanuts version.
Merry Christmas!
Matthew and Jennifer
Last week Matthew and I needed to cancel an account. This process took 5 days with 5 phone calls and over 3.5 hours.
Often, when you begin a relationship with a business, all the customer service is put into the front end. But what do your clients see once you get into the system? And when clients/customers are finished, how hard is it to end the service?
And as I’ve been travelling up and down Route1, I’ve also noticed worn out signs, trash in parking lots, broken light bulbs, and such.I know, I KNOW it’s a tough economy, but if we do not keep up with quality presentation, we will loose even more clients!
I know I’ve been guilty of dressing up for the first few appointments with a new client and then wearing dressed up jeans as we go along. Most don’t mind, but I still want to show them that I care just as much now as I did when they hired me!
I can tell you that with how hard it was to cancel my service, I don’t expect I will ever return.
Question: If I’m short selling my home, does it matter what it looks like? Besides, I won’t get any cash when it sells. Why does it matter?
Answer: YES, it matters! Short sales are harder to get to closing so your home needs to look good enough to entice buyers. If the option of the buyer is a foreclosure that has already been painted and vacated or a short sale that looks like it has not been maintained, the seller will go for the foreclosure. 
But if your home looks like you care for it, then the chances of receiving an offer before your home goes to foreclosure is much higher.
I know it takes money to maintain your home. And if you had the extra cash, then you would be making your payments, but there are a few things you can do even without the cash flow.
1. De-clutter. You’ll me moving anyway. Get rid of the stuff you won’t be taking with you. Clean out the kitchen cabinets and closets. Clear off the book shelves. Get rid of knick-knacks. Making the home more spacious than the competition will go a long way.
2. Magic Erasers – these little white sponges will clean appliances, walls, trim, door jams, bathtubs, floors, and more! With just a little elbow grease (usually less than you would expect), they do wonders! There were times I thought I would need to paint, but after using the Magic Eraser, I did not need to.
3. Set the table – make it look warm and cozy.
4. Sandpaper – one issue I have seen frequently is where dogs have damaged doorways and railings. Sand them out! Find the left over paint in the garage and paint over it when finished.
5. Air Vents – If it looks like you do not keep your air vents clean, buyers may wonder about the rest of the maintenance of your home.
6. Other low cost fixes – Fake flowers in a vase or two. Rent a carpet cleaner for a day. Bleach/water solution for the tile in the bathroom. With just one can of paint, you could paint the front door or the trim in the entryway/living room. Replace light bulbs.
7. Other free fixes – Keep the beds made. Keep the sinks clean. Keep the clothes hidden. Dust the ceiling fans. Boiling water on the weeds. Windex the windows.
8. Finally, try rearranging the furniture. It gives you another chance to de-clutter, vacuum or sweep, and see if you can make the room look more welcoming or spacious. Try this on the deck or porch as well!
With all the other work it takes to get a short sale to closing, including all the forms you will need to find and fill out, these changes in the home will feel like nothing. And it will be a big help in getting that offer… before it’s too late.
I’ve been researching zoning ordinances for the different counties. I have a farmette that is hopefully going to closing soon, a client that wants chickens, a friend that wants to add on a garage, and a relative that is planning to move and bring their 5th wheel. All of these issues have zoning rules and regulations that need to be taken into consideration.
You may not think you want to do anything unique with your property now, but knowing the zoning rules for your home could help you in the future. On that note, here are several of the link I have been to in researching all about zoning:
Zoning 101 from ZoningMaters.org
Caroline County Zoning Ordinances and a cheat sheet for setbacks for different communities.
Spotsylvania Counties Ordinances (A little More complicated to read in some situations). Most of my clients visit Chapter 23, Article 6 and Chapter 4 first. My advice, if you have a question or you’re unsure about your zone and a rule, call! It’s better to know for sure than run into an issue later.
And here’s Stafford County, King George, and Downtown Fredericksburg, along with the Historical District Rules.
Most of our clients are pretty savvy. (If you’re wondering if you’re “savvy,” you’re reading our blog, so we think you’re pretty savvy!)
Anyway, most of you use many resources when searching for homes. Some start their search at Zillow or Realtor.com. Some find the home search on our blog first. No matter how your home search begins, the following is a list of what we would recommend you consider when looking for a home.
1. Neighborhood – what makes a “good neighborhood” to you? How far is the local grocery and gas station? DO you like other shopping and restaurants or seclusion? How close to the interstate do you want to be?
2. Amenities – An HOA may have swimming, basketball, a gym, or even a restaurant on the premises. Do you like walking trails? Do you mind paying additional fees for those amenities or would the neighborhood activities work just as well?
3. Topography – Do you need a water source? Do you like trees? Do you need flat land for animals?
4. Floor Plan – Do you need a main level bedroom? Would a basement help with storage or space for kids? Do stairs hurt your knees? Is a garage a “must?”
5. External obsolescence – That’s a fancy word for the things you cannot control that may make the value of your property go up or down. Dogs in the neighborhood, dirt roads, trains, waterways, nearby neighborhoods,… They may work, but you or others may not want them.
6. Location Compared to regular your job/church/community activity – Some people are glad to live far away from work. Others wish they lived next door. Some participate in community services on a regular basis and would like to live nearby. Others don’t mind driving into town once a week for that event. What about you? What about the school you want your kids to attend? Even if the bus does not pick up your kids, how far do you want to drive to take them to school?
7. Utilities – Some homes have have water bills and sewer bills every month. Some don’t. But if you’re in town high speed internet might cost a lot less than having satellite internet (which is not as reliable). Electric, natural gas, and propane are all used throughout the area – as is wood burning stoves if you want to save. Consider the cost of all your utilities.
8. Main roadways – In the Fredericksburg Region, we’re talking about I95! How far would you need to travel on 95? Can you get to places without having to drive on 95? Are others going to use that same route? You may want to try diving that route during the normal hours you would be traveling.
9. Usability – Each piece of property is zoned with rules and regs that apply for that zone. If you want chickens, check your zoning. Also, your neighborhood may also have rules for how close you can build to the border of your property. That’s zoning as well.
10. Cost of Ownership – How much are the current taxes? Annual maintenance fees to paint/gravel/power wash? How old is that heat pump or roof and how long might it last?
Now how do we help you find out about all these issues and more that you need to consider? Some of the place we check include:
- Tax Maps
- Plats
- Tax Records
- Property History
- Photos – current and past listings
- Google Maps
- Property Disclosures
- HOA Documents
- Utility Companies
- County Web pages
- Visitor’s Center
- Graph paper
- Chatting with neighbors
- MLS system
Now you could do all this on your own, or we could help you. Each of you know what you want to research and want you need us to do for you. We also try to share some of these issues that you may not have taken into consideration. Working together to find you the perfect place is what it’s all about!
And if we don’t serve your area, we will try to hook you up with an agent we trust from another area of the state/country that thinks like we do.
First in Caroline…
Closed sales were up in October – for a total of 30! Although Pending sales went down. So in actuality, more home that were pending actually went to closing compared to other recent months.
This means banks were accepting offers and less glitches in getting to closing! That’s fabulous news! With the tightening of lender pre-qual applications and the necessity of sellers (homeowners and banks) to sell, there are a few less vacant homes!
Average sales price was $150,000 with an average of 93 days on the market. And I can tell you, some homes priced under $150K that are move in ready are under contract within days!
Now for Spotsylvania County…
Closed sales in Spotsy actually slipped a bit in October. But 126 sold homes in Spotsylvania is not too shabby! Pending sales also went down. A wider gap between the two, but that’s to be expected when dealing with more homes.
Average sales price was about $220,000 with an average of 65 days on the market.
If you have additional questions about specific communities or need an idea on the average sales price for a specific type of home, feel free to ask!
Ok now that we had some fun, time to get back to work.
Today Matthew and I attended out local trade show with classes and vendors that will help us help you. More to come on that at a later date!
Today I thought we would look some of the greatest deals out of the 22 homes that sold in Caroline County based on Sales price and Sold price during the month of August. This chart does NOT show you how much the buyer asked for in closing costs. That would have changed all my percentages.
... My photos and graph are not converting correctly tonight. So sorry!
to see more, check out: http://www.vahomeplace.com/list-price-vs-sold-price
I’ve actually wanted to write an article lately about why we ask for buyer agency agreements.
Just like any business, you want someone that is looking out for your best interest. The buyer’s agency agreement helps us to do just that.
This page in the "Today’s Buyer Rep" newsletter from February 2010 gives a great little chart showing the differences in being a customer and being a client.
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/48673161/Customer-or-Client---Whats-the-Difference
And here is a sample of standard buyer agency agreement forms that you may be requested to sign so that your agent may work in your best interest.
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/48674661/Buyer-Agency-Agreement-Form
A few point I would like to mention in relation to Matthew and I.
Paragraph 3: We do not charge retainer fees. We feel that getting the job done is when we earn our fee.
Paragraph 9 : We do not practice “Dual Agency”. This perfectly legal form of agency relationship is one by which a Realtor can represent both a buyer and seller. We feel that this is an unfair level of service and deprives clients from full protection. We represent only one side of the transaction at any given time.
Paragraph 11: Equal Opportunity. You tell us your requirements for a home based on price, location, needs. We never choose or exclude homes based on any of the federally protected classes.
If you have specific questions about any of the paragraphs, please feel free to ask.
There are certain landmarks in the career of a REALTOR® that gives one pause and reminds us how important our clients are. Home Buyers and Sellers all have stories, we become involved in their lives and help them in a time of important decisions. Matthew and I take tha t responsibility very seriously and always true to put our selves in the position of our clients when we’re giving advice. Sometimes we have to give advice or counsel that folks don’t wish to hear. At times we have to deliver bad new and other good. But at all times, we become characters in their stories.
This week, Matthew and I had the privilege of assisting the third generation of one family, purchase their first home. Our real estate adventure with this family began about six years ago. Matthew helped Roy and Jan list and sell their home of 42 years in Annandale, Virginia. In that home, the Senior Beveridges watched their children grow up and move out and then come back with grandchildren for visits. When it was time for a new stage in their lives, we were blessed to help them move into their new home, to make new memories, here in Caroline.
Shortly thereafter their son, Cash with his lovely wife, Kathy moved to Belmont with their three children. He decided to sell his home in an established neighborhood and purchase a new home that was built with their own specifications in Belmont.
This week, Cash and Kathy’s oldest, Joshua, and his fiancé, Allegra, (excited to be wed next month!) purchased their first home! Through great planning, they have purchased the home with enough time before the wedding to get it just they way they want it.
We’re thankful to every client who’s ever trusted us for advice or to assist them when it’s time to enter into a new stage of life. We’re especially thankful for those who trust us with their families and refer us to their friends.
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